After Prop. 4: Who gets the money?
November 11, 2009
“I do think Texas Tech and the University of Houston have a leg up because of their large base of graduates and their standing in the Legislature, and their fund-raising capabilities, and a number of things the Legislature wants you to have to match some of this stuff. But I think UTEP gets across the goal line,” said Rick Francis, an El Paso banker and Texas Tech regent. “I think (UTEP President) Diana Natalicio can get it done. I have a great deal of belief in her.”
Written by: Jessica Behnham
The vote is over. Now comes the debate.
After voters approved Proposition 4 last week, they ignited a statewide debate about how seven Texas universities can access about $25 million a year to grow their research portfolio.
The funds come from a $500-million endowment the proposition created to help the schools reach “tier-one” status, a designation that puts them in the running for more federal research funds.
The University of Texas at El Paso is one of those universities, and like the others, it’s trying to figure out exactly what some of the state eligibility criteria mean.